New Beginings
by Linxcat
Summary: Linxcat and Pheonix are two Earth scholars that are forced to find a new life when the purges begin. Where will they go? Who will they meet? Read to find out! Challenge


Chapter One 

The girl stumbled through the door, soaked to the skin. Her papery robes were dripping wet and she looked frantically around.

"Phoenix? Phoenix!" she called anxiously. Seconds later the boy showed up. His eyes widened as he saw the girl.

"Linxcat!" he exclaimed in surprise, running over to her, "What's happened? You look terrified!"

"We've got no time. The purges, Phoenix!" she clutched his arm, "The sky scholars are purging the earth scholars from Sanctaphrax! We must leave!"

Phoenix's eyes grew wide. He had heard rumours that the sky scholars were plotting something but…He ran a hand through his dark blond hair, messy from sleep.

"But I'm the sub-dean of the Flora and Fauna Academy, I can't just up and-"

"The Flora and Fauna Academy has been burnt to the ground Phoenix," Linxcat whispered, tears welling in her eyes, "And we'll be next if we don't leave now!"

Phoenix was silent, his mouth opening and closing in pure horror.

"The Flora and Fauna Academy…I don't believe it…" he shook his head. Linxcat squeezed his hand.

"I was up late studying. I only just got out in time - it burst into flame right in front of my eyes." She explained softly. Phoenix paused, biting his lip. Then he looked up.

"You're right. We must leave now before it's too late. We'll send word to Zuki - she's a sky scholar so she'll be ok - and perhaps she can get Lufwood to-"

"Open up! We know you're in there, earth scholar SCUM!"

Linxcat opened her mouth to scream, but Phoenix clapped a hand over it.

"Don't let them know we're here," he hissed. Linxcat nodded. Phoenix grabbed two cloaks to conceal their earth scholar robes, some food and some coins and the two of them snuck out the back door into the rain.

Chapter Two 

Zuki opened one eye, frowning in annoyance. Who was that, knocking on her door at this time in the morning? She climbed out of bed, pulled on her dressing gown and made her way downstairs. The hammering on the door became louder and more frantic.

"Zuki! ZUKI!" a voice was yelling.

"For sky's sake, I'm coming!" she yelled back, flinging the door open. Two figures stumbled in and slammed the door closed behind them.

"Phoenix, Linxcat, what on the edge…?" she exclaimed, grabbing her friends by the shoulders. A split second later she snatched her hands away.

"You're soaking!" she shook her hands, flicking away the water. "Stop dripping on the carpet and go sit by the fire. What IS going on?"

Phoenix and Linxcat did as they were told, sighing as the flames warmed them.

"Zuki, you must listen." Linxcat implored, "The purges have started!"

"The what?"

"The purges, the sky scholars are purging the earth scholars from Sanctaphrax! Anyone who stays gets slaughtered by the earthkeepers!" Phoenix explained impatiently, gesturing with his hands. Zuki's face paled.

"Then you must leave immediately! What are you doing here?"

"We hoped you would know where Lufwood was and perhaps she could give us a ride on her sky ship to somewhere safe." Linxcat replied. Zuki nodded.

"I know where her ship is berthed. Give me your cloaks." Zuki held out her hands. Her friends did as she asked and she tossed them on the fire. The papery material burst into flames immediately. Then, Zuki handed them both sky-scholar cloaks.

"These will stop us drawing attention to ourselves. Lufwood's ship is in Quay 9 - we must hurry though, it leaves at dawn."

Chapter Three 

Lufwood scurried around, trying to let out the sails and not slip at the same time. It was kind of hard to sail a sky ship with a crew of two, but she and Raff were managing. He had always been better at steering, so she fought with the sails and flightrock.

Satisfied at last, she hopped down from the rigging and ran a hand through her hair. She was soaked to the skin, but she didn't mind. She had to get the ship out of the dockyards before the leaguesmen came along. And with only two crewmembers, they both had to work doubly hard.

"Sails out…flightrock ready…just got to-"

"Wait! WAIT!!"

Lufwood frowned and looked towards the source of the sound, her hand sheltering her eyes from the rain. Three blurry figures were racing towards the ship. By the way they kept looking frantically over their shoulders, she could tell they were being chased. As the group grew closer she recognised them and her face lit up.

"Phoenix, Linxcat, Zuki!" she exclaimed in surprise, lowering the gangplank so they could come aboard. "What's the-"

"GO!" All three of them yelled as soon as they clambered across. Lufwood blinked in confusion.

"But-"

Ignoring her friend's protests, Zuki grabbed Lufwood's sword, leaned over the side and sliced through all the ropes tethering the ship to the quay. The sky ship lurched away into the air with an objecting creak. The frustrated earthkeepers reached the edge of the quay and waved fists angrily. Linxcat held up her forefinger and thumb in an 'L' sign and Phoenix used another finger to show their pursuers exactly what he thought of them.

Raff called from the helm, "Lufwood, what on the edge is going on down there??"

Lufwood grinned, "It seems, Raff, we have some stowaways."

"So, where are you headed?" Lufwood asked casually, leaning into the rigging. Linxcat and Phoenix glanced at each other.

"Well, since the Flora and Fauna Academy is gone, we've got nothing left in Sanctaphrax so…"

Phoenix trailed off.

"The Deepwoods." Linxcat finished. Lufwood nodded.

"To continue your studies in peace?" she suggested. They both nodded. "Cool. What about you, Zuki? You going with these nut jobs?" Zuki smiled as Phoenix and Linxcat scowled. She sighed.

"As much as I'd like to…really, honestly…well, I'm a sky scholar. I love Sanctaphrax - it's my home."

Phoenix glared out at the sky. "It was my home until the sky scholars kicked us out." He growled. Zuki looked slightly hurt and Linxcat placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It was my home too, Phoenix. And its not Zuki's fault, either." She said softly. Phoenix sighed.

"I wasn't blaming her. I know it's not her fault. It's that Azamat Cobrus! Everything was fairly peaceful until he came along with his stupid physics and storm fronts and new ideas!" he stormed. "Why couldn't he go back to wherever he came from in his stupid hot air balloon and leave us all ALONE?!" his frustration expressed, he hugged his knees and glared at nothing in particular. Linxcat kept a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know what you mean," Zuki replied quietly, "Azamat has caused nothing but trouble. Everyone seems to love him but he's been stirring up arguments between all the schools. I know that they always have squabbled, but nothing like what's happening now…I hope someone hurries up and bumps him off. I don't know what would ever happen to Sanctaphrax if he became Most High Academe." She muttered darkly.

"Well," said Lufwood brightly, "That's all behind you now! No more scheming, plotting academics and musty schools! Nope, just the fresh Deepwoods air, deadly wig-wigs, poisonous hail-toads, trapping landfish anglers, flesh-eating logworms…"

"Thank you, Lufwood," Phoenix said dryly, a hint of a smile on his face. "That makes me feel so much better!"

Relieved that the serious air had lifted, the four friends laughed and spent the rest of the evening in companionable quiet.

Chapter Four 

"Are you sure the nutters can't convince you to go?" Lufwood asked her friend, Zuki, onboard the sky ship. "One less mouth for us to feed and all that…"

Zuki grinned, "Sorry Luf, I'm not an earth scholar and frankly, I'm homesick!"

Lufwood sighed and pulled up the rope ladder once Linxcat and Phoenix had descended. She signalled to Raff and the ship began to rise again.

"Bye guys, good luck!" Zuki called, leaning over the side to wave.

"Don't get yourselves eaten!" Lufwood yelled down to them.

"Love you too, Lufwood!" Linxcat yelled back wryly. Laughing and waving, the two earth scholars watched their friends and the sky ship disappear into the clouds.

Chapter Five 

Linxcat smiled and turned the makeshift spit she had created with a few sticks. It wasn't much, but it would do them for a while - at least until they had properly made camp.

She sniffed the roasting snowbird and grinned. Nearly done! Lufwood had let them have nearly half the food rations - claiming that they would stock up when they got back to Sanctaphrax and dropped Zuki off. Then she and Raff would sail off into the sunset and never return (or so she said).

Linxcat beamed as she thought of her friends. Lufwood and Raff had been together for as long as she could remember. And although the sky pirate girl refused to answer every time, Linxcat was sure they were pretty close to getting engaged.

And Zuki. Zuki! Linxcat chuckled. The ambitious sky scholar was in the School of Mist, learning next to figures such as Linius Pallitax, a man who was growing ever more famous. Some say he had slain the Gloamglozer itself down in the stonecomb! Although Linius would not confirm this, Zuki had managed to get out of him something _else_ that had happened down there…although she refused to tell anyone. She had been sworn to secrecy, and was not about to betray her friendship with Linius. Of course, it was definitely nothing more than friendship - Linius was already in love with a beautiful earth scholar named Yena Vespius. Linxcat was pleased Zuki was friends with a man with such big ideas; next to him she would go far. Linius was one of the few sky scholars like Zuki who believed that earth and sky scholars should exist in peace - and work together. Why, if Linius Pallitax became Most High Academe, she and Phoenix might even be able to-

No, thought Linxcat firmly, that was the past. Here, the Deepwoods, with Phoenix, was the present and most likely the future. Not that she was complaining, of course…out here in the beauty of the Deepwoods, spending the rest of her days with her closest friend…not so bad…

"Speaking of Phoenix," Linxcat muttered to herself, "Where is he? He left to find firewood ages ago…"

Just as she said that, she heard rustling in the trees and he stumbled into the clearing.

"Phoenix!" Linxcat exclaimed happily, "I was just- wait, where's the firewood?"

Phoenix was breathless. His face was pale.

"Whitecollar wolves!" he croaked frantically, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet, "Run!"

Linxcat struggled to keep up with Phoenix as he pulled her on relentlessly. Behind her she could hear snuffling and - her blood ran cold - howling. The slavers were out and the wolves had found their camp! They were chasing them!

Chapter Six 

On and on the two scholars-turned-Deepwooders ran, branches and bushes slapping at their legs and tripping them up. Neither of them had any idea where on the edge they were going, but they both knew they had to get away from the Whitecollar wolves or they would be attacked - or worse, sold as slaves. Twice Linxcat had nearly run into a tree, and branches were relentlessly molesting Phoenix. Linxcat muttered a jaunty comment about the benefits of not being tall, but he had not replied, putting all his energy into running.

Abruptly, they came to the edge of the trees. Ahead of them there was a valley where the Edgewater River had carved right through the Deepwoods.

"What do we do _now_?!" Linxcat groaned. She could hear the wolves getting closer with every second. There was no going back.

"We're going to have to jump." Was the reply. She stared at him like he was mad.

"Jump? But we'll never make it!" she squeaked.

The wolves were ever nearing. They could hear their snuffling and panting.

"See that ledge? We're going to jump onto it. Easy." He pointed to a jutting out rock on the other side. Linxcat paled.

"But…but…"

"Try not to think too much," he advised, taking her hand and squeezing it, "On three."

Just a few more lines of trees and the wolves would be on them. Linxcat gulped.

"One…"

They took as many steps back as they dared. They would need a long run-up to get across but the wolves were getting closer and closer.

"Two…"

Howling and sniffing sounds filled their ears as the wolves broke out of the trees.

"Three!" Linxcat yelled. And they jumped.

Everything seemed to go into slow-mo. Their legs pedalled in the air as they plummeted down. Linxcat felt her hair moving in the wind. The rock was getting slowly closer. She turned to look at Phoenix and he smiled weakly, encouragingly. Not long now before they hit the ground, she thought. The rock crept up towards them.

And then suddenly everything was back to normal. Phoenix and Linxcat landed heavily on the rock. Phoenix landed on his feet, bent his knees and toppled over onto his side. The landing winded him and he fought to breath. He could hear Linxcat beside him gasping and the enraged howls of the Whitecollar wolves.

And then everything went black.

Chapter Seven 

Phoenix opened his eyes and peered around groggily. It was dark. Why was it dark? He waited for his brain to supply the explanation. He remembered running, jumping - falling, landing…then blackness. Perhaps that was why it was so dark.

It took a few seconds for his eyes to get used to the lack of light. He felt something warm and heavy on his stomach so he looked down. Linxcat's head was resting there, her blonde wavy hair fanned out. She was breathing heavily - almost as if she were asleep.

"Linxcat," he whispered, shaking her by the shoulder.

"Wha…whassit?" she mumbled, her eyes flickering open. Slowly, she sat up and peered at him blearily.

"Phoenix? Where are we?" she asked, yawning and looking around.

"I…I don't know," he confessed. "Are we dead?"

Linxcat, suddenly awake, leaned over and pinched him on the shoulder.

"Yowch!" Phoenix yelped in surprise. Linxcat grinned.

"Obviously not." She replied to his question.

The two of them sat in silence, just surveying the room. They couldn't see much because of the dark, but they knew that it was a bedroom due to the blankets and pillows laid all over the floor.

"Perhaps we-" Phoenix began, but he was interrupted by a voice from outside.

"Who do you think they are?" someone asked.

"I don't know - they're wearing earth scholar robes but they both have sky scholar cloaks." Another voice replied.

"Well what are two scholars doing out here in the Deepwoods?"

"Mill, _we_ used to be scholars."

"Good point. Lets go see if they're awake."

Phoenix and Linxcat both shielded their eyes as a door opened and bright sunlight flooded in. After blinking away the after-glow, they could see two figures standing in the doorway.

"Hello!" a friendly voice greeted. The girl walked into the bedroom, holding the door open for her companion, an older girl.

"Who are you?" Phoenix asked. The second girl laughed.

"We should be asking you that, academics!" she replied.

"My name's Magda," said the first girl, "And this is my friend Millennium Roger, or Mill. We're academics-turned-Deepwooders."

Phoenix grinned, "It seems we have that in common. I'm Phoenix and this is Linxcat. We were earth scholars in the Flora and Fauna Academy until the purges began."

Magda and Mill both frowned.

"The purges?" Mill asked curiously.

"There's time for stories later," Magda interrupted, "Is anyone hungry?"

Phoenix nodded, "Not half!" he exclaimed.

Chapter Eight 

Whilst eating a hearty dinner, Phoenix and Linxcat explained to their new friends about the purges.

"Pff, sky scholars. I always knew they were up to something," Mill commented darkly. Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"So you used to be an earth scholar?"

"Indeed. Till me and Magda got sick of the lofty 'born-and-bred's and left." Millennium Roger shook her head, "Of course, there are times when I miss the old city, the ancient buildings and revered centres of learning," she snorted, "Then I remember the intrigue, the double-dealing and backstabbing, and I'm glad I left before it was too late."

"So how did you find us?" Linxcat asked, changing the subject as Magda passed round supper; roast snowbird.

"We found you on some sky-forsaken rock by the valley. So we took you home before the slavers did!" she laughed.

The four companions tucked into the food and appreciative noises started.

"Magda, this is delicious!"

"Yeah, what sauce is this?"

Magda beamed, "Woodacorn ground with hyleberry-"

"Of course," Mill interrupted, "Sweet and sour." Magda nodded

"Exactly."

The next day the troop set off, packing up all their things and moving on.

"We keep moving camps, like Banderbears, otherwise the slavers will catch up with us." Mill explained. "It means a heck of a lot of work and walking, but that's better than being slaves."

Each person had a leatherskin bag and carried some of the stuff on their back. Mill had the bedding, Magda had the cooking stuff, Phoenix the makeshift 'tents' and Linxcat carried the food supplies.

"We have camps all around the Deepwoods and at each one we leave a-" Mill was interrupted as she walked slap-bang into Magda in front of her. "Magda?" she put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Magda, what's the big hold-up?"

Magda was trembling, her face ashen white. She mouthed two words - even without hearing her, Linxcat and Phoenix could clearly see what she meant.

Just in front of them, in a small clearing, were five small balls of orange fluff.

"Wig-wigs."

Chapter Nine 

"Wig-wigs!" Millennium Roger exclaimed in horror. The two words were foreboding and meant instant danger. To any who didn't know the small creatures looked playful, cute even. But for those who knew, behind the smiling mouths were rows of razor-sharp teeth. A pack of just three could consume a whole banderbear in just seconds.

"Go back," Mill hissed, "We'll have to go back!"

"Too late!" Linxcat croaked as several turned and bounced over. They gazed up at the Deepwooders, eyes wide and heads cocked to the side in curiosity. Then one opened its mouth, wide, exposing pointy fangs and an evil grin. The four companions stood stock-still with fear and anticipation. Suddenly all the wig-wigs opened their mouths and the group were surrounded by spikes.

"RUN!" Mill yelled and everyone burst into action. Without a second thought, Linxcat and Phoenix turned and sprinted off, Mill and Magda running in the opposite direction.

Linxcat had no idea how long they had been running, or how long they were going to continue running. All she knew was that they had to escape.

Phoenix was beside her - she could hear him breathing heavily. He was exhausted from running, as was she. But they couldn't hold up, not for a moment.

"Are they…still behind us?" she panted. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Can't see." He said simply, "Not sure. Think so."

So they continued on.

After what seemed like centuries spent running, running, jumping over logs and ducking branches, _running_, they finally both ran out of energy, tumbling to the ground.

"Can't…run…anymore…" Linxcat groaned, closing her eyes. Phoenix managed to keep his open and sat up, looking around, bemused.

"Well," he said, "There're no wig-wigs here."

And he was right. In their haste to escape, the two friends had run right out of the Deepwoods and onto the _edge_; a rocky, deserted place where nothing but muglumps could live. Linxcat, now having caught her breath, shivered as she took in their surroundings. Suddenly she froze as something caught her eye.

"Phoenix," she whispered, clutching his arm, "What's _that_?"

Ahead of them where the slag making up the edge of the edge met the air beyond, something was hovering. It was tall and imposing, at least three feet off the ground, with horns and matted hair and a long cloak.

"No…" Phoenix breathed, "No…it can't be…"

As the thing turned to face them, Linxcat let out a shriek of horror.

It was the Gloamglozer.

Chapter Ten 

Phoenix's mind was racing. It couldn't be the Gloamglozer. Linius Pallitax had slain the Gloamglozer in the stonecomb. Perhaps…perhaps…an awful thought occurred to him. Perhaps Linius had slain the Gloamglozer - _a_ Gloamglozer. Perhaps there were more out on the Edge, like this one. He shuddered.

Slowly, the Gloamglozer began to float towards them. Phoenix and Linxcat scooted backwards over the rocks but they didn't get far. The Gloamglozer was hovering just in front of them now.

"Hi." It said simply, voice loud and…friendly.

Linxcat and Phoenix stared at it, open-mouthed in fear. It tried again.

"Hi, I'm the Gloamglozer." He repeated.

"H-hi…" Linxcat croaked, still in shock.

The Gloamglozer looked at them curiously.

"You got any food?" he asked. Phoenix and Linxcat looked at each other.

"Um…" Linxcat fumbled in her bag and brought out a wheatwood cookie. "Here." She held it out and the creature took it, swallowing it in one.

"Mmm…" It sighed. "Delicious. Is there any more?"

"Uh…sure." Linxcat brought more cookies from her bag and handed them to him. The Gloamglozer savoured each one, nodding appreciatively.

"Those were some good cookies. Who made them?"

"Our friend, Magda." Phoenix spoke up. The Gloamglozer regarded him with a pause.

"Take me to your goddess of cooking." He said finally.

"We don't know where she is," Linxcat explained, "We lost our friends when we were chased by wig-wigs."

"Well then," Phoenix yelped as his clone suddenly appeared beside him. The clone winked and gave a thumbs-up. "I'll help you find them."

As the three of them made their way back to the Deepwoods, the Gloamglozer/Phoenix's clone leading the way, Phoenix turned to Linxcat.

"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." He muttered.

Chapter Eleven 

It had been three days since Linxcat and Phoenix met the Gloamglozer. Three days of constant walking and foraging for food, sleeping in beds made of grass and moss in the tents Phoenix had been carrying. They had encountered no danger - the Gloamglozer, who insisted that they called him 'Gloamy', had seen to that.

"Lets have a rest." Phoenix suggested. He and Linxcat sat down on a rock and drank water from a gourd Linxcat was carrying. She peered down into it.

"Not much left," she commented anxiously.

Phoenix lay back on the rock and watched the clouds in the sky. A week ago he had been an earth scholar, sub-dean of the Flora and Fauna Academy. Now he was trekking through the Deepwoods with the _Gloamglozer_ looking for his friends. Life sure is strange, he thought.

Absently, he raised a hand and traced the shapes of the clouds with a finger. That one looked like a hammelhorn and that one looked like…a sky ship! It WAS a sky ship - a very familiar one! He jumped to his feet.

"Lufwood's ship!" he yelled, pointing.

"Quick Gloamy," Linxcat instructed, "You're a shape-shifter, right? Turn into something that will get our friend's attention!"

The Gloamglozer did as he was told, turning into a bright red signal flare and rocketing up past the sky ship. Yells were heard from onboard and a head peeked over the side.

"LUFWOOD!" Phoenix and Linxcat screamed, jumping up and down and waving their hands. The head withdrew for second and a ladder was dropped over the side, someone on the end of it.

"Lufwood!" Linxcat exclaimed in delight.

"Linxcat! Phoenix! It is you guys! Sky above, we've been looking for you everywhere!" she pointed up to the sky ship where three more heads poked over the side. One of them belonged to Zuki and the other two were…

"Magda and Millennium Roger!" Phoenix laughed in surprise. "How…?"

"You better come on board and we'll explain," Lufwood gestured to the ladder.

"Wait a second," Linxcat muttered. Then, "GLOAMGLOZER!"

Lufwood looked confused, "What did I do?" she asked.

"No, not you, him!" Phoenix pointed to the Gloamglozer who had appeared. He smiled and waved at Lufwood, who looked thoroughly spooked.

"O…k then." She clambered up the ladder, the others following behind her.

Chapter Twelve 

"…Then we found these two, and they said they were looking for you. So we picked 'em up and that was when we found you guys and…"

Lufwood trailed off, glancing at the Gloamglozer who was happily watching the clouds. She was still uneasy - who wouldn't be? There was not one creature on the Edge who had not heard of the deceiving shape-shifter who fed on fear. And to think, she had one right here, on her own ship!

"We picked up some new crew members when we docked in Sanctaphrax." Zuki said, hastily changing the subject.

"_Nice to meet you,_" a voice sounded in Linxcat and Phoenix's heads. They both started and looked around for the source. A young waterwaif stepped out from the shadows, reptilian and scaly. He smiled. "_I'm Woodfish._"

"And who could forget Catrbird?" Zuki continued. Linxcat's mouth dropped open.

"Caterbird? You know a caterbird?"

"Catrbird, actually," another voice corrected from the helm. Linxcat and Phoenix raced over and watched the huge bird soar in front of the ship in awe.

"We saved him from a merchant in Undertown, so he promised to take us anywhere on the Edge. Guess where we're going…?" Zuki challenged.

"I'll give you a clue," Lufwood butted in, "It's a long way away, in the black heart of the Deepwoods, a place where only the luckiest buggers of earth scholars have ever been…"

"No…" Phoenix gasped. He and Linxcat shared a look, "It…it can't be…"

"Riverrise," Catrbird called back, "Right down there, see that really tall silver-grey lufwood? Descend right there and you'll find Riverrise. Can I leave now?"

"How do we know that's really it? That you're not just dropping us anywhere?" Lufwood asked suspiciously. The caterbird sighed.

"Fine, I'll follow you down the rope as low as I can go with all the trees. When you see the lake, you'll know that its Riverrise and I'll leave."

Lufwood frowned, nodded and turned to the helm.

"Raff!" she yelled, "Raff, we're here! The caterbird says this is Riverrise!"

The ship slowed to a stop as grappling hooks were fired over the side to secure it. Zuki went below deck to fetch Magda from the galley. A few minutes later, they both came up the stairs. Magda tucked her curly hair behind her ear and gave everyone a smile, faltering ever so slightly when she saw the Gloamglozer. She glanced at the others, who shrugged nonchalantly. Gloamy approached.

"You are Magda, the goddess of cooking?" he asked.

"Uh…" Magda blinked in confusion, but being ever polite, she smiled, "You like my cooking?"

Gloamy beamed and took her hands.

"I believe it is the most wonderful I have ever tasted." He said softly. Magda flushed.

"Um, thanks…" she mumbled.

Phoenix was grinning like a maniac, trying not to laugh, Linxcat had both hands over her mouth and Zuki was growing redder by the second with suppressed hilarity.

"Come on guys!" Lufwood yelled from the balustrade. "Or we'll go without you!"

Chapter Thirteen 

Linxcat gazed up at the night sky, midnight over Riverrise (and yes, it was probably sunset over Sanctaphrax too). She and Phoenix were sitting by the famed lake, listening to the quiet drip-drip as the water splashed over the edge.

Linxcat looked around her. The plants and trees were amazing, beautiful and _ancient_ - most of them probably around with Kobold the Wise.

To her left, she could see Lufwood and Raffix sitting under Kobold's old lufwood tree. They both seemed pretty happy (well, what she could see of them. It was kind of dark being midnight and all).

Who couldn't be happy here, Linxcat wondered, in this beautiful place? She certainly didn't know.

And to her right were Zuki and Woodfish, talking quietly together, whilst Magda served up supper with Gloamy's help. It was roasted snowbird again, but no one minded. No one could ever get tired of Magda's cooking - especially not the Gloamglozer. He and Magda were laughing now, both enjoying the dinner by moonlight.

Linxcat sighed happily, gazing up at the stars once more.

"You know, they say Artoveli, the great artist, once came to Riverrise and painted many amazing pictures of the lake and trees." Phoenix said softly in her ear. "Course, no one ever found the paintings. Some say they were hidden - others say Artoveli gave them to Kobold the Wise himself as a gift. No one knows."

Linxcat smiled and closed her eyes, trying to imagine the great academic Kobold.

"I wonder what he looked like…" she mumbled. Phoenix grinned.

"Beard," he said firmly, "He's got to have had a great big beard, and bushy tufts of white hair like…" Phoenix lifted his arm to show her what he meant when he saw her. She was fast asleep, head cushioned in his lap and breathing heavily. He smiled and watched her for a few seconds, before turning his gaze back to the sky.

If he squinted, he could just about make out the shape of the caterbird as he flapped his way back over the Deepwoods.


End file.
